Black Jareth
by Lady-Lannie-Queen-of-Goblins
Summary: AU story set in 1600's America. Years after her encounter with the Goblin King, Sarah and her family move to America and face new challenges, or are they the old ones with new faces?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is going to be much darker than my usual stories, so be warned. I'm not sure how dark this will get. I'm branching out and trying new things. This is slightly inspired by the VVitch, but will by no means be the same story.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Jareth, Labyrinth, The VVitch, or any characters or ideas from their worlds. I'm simply borrowing them for a little while for my own entertainment and stress relief.

 **Chapter 1**

As Sarah Williams sat on the back of the family's wagon with her brother, Tobias, and the twins, Grace and Michael, she thought back on all that had happened to her. Things hadn't been easy for her family. Her mother had died when Sarah was only 5. A few years later her father remarried and when Sarah was 8, Tobias was born.

Sarah loved her baby brother, but the first year of his life she despised him. Her stepmother always accused her of things she didn't do. If anything was missing Sarah must have taken it. If something broke, Sarah must have done something to it. She seemed to be in trouble daily. Once Tobias was born, things got worse. Sarah was supposed to do all her chores and look after the baby.

Sarah's only joy was when she slipped away and went to see the blind beggar near the church. He had stopped her father after church one day and asked if he had any money or food to spare. Sarah had felt bad for the poor man. So the next day she snuck out and took some bread she had saved from her dinner the night before. The beggar was overjoyed by the girl's kindness.

"Such a sweet and generous child thou are." He told her with a grin. "Thy mother and father must be very proud of thee."

"My mother passed many years ago," Sarah told him sadly.

"My mistake. Forgive an old blind man. I heard a woman with thee after services. I presumed it was thy mother."

"My father married another after my mother's death. She has no love for me though." Sarah didn't know why she spoke so openly to a stranger, especially one that was a poor beggar living on the streets, but for some reason, she felt she could confide in the old man.

"Tell me your name child."

"Sarah, sir. My name is Sarah Williams."

The old man nodded and rubbed his hands together to warm them. "A lovely name for such a lovely girl."

"I thought thee blind?"

"Tis true. But I don't need eyes to know thy beauty. For thy has a beautiful soul."

"And what be your name?"

"They call me Phillip." He patted the ground beside him inviting her to sit. "Won't you sit a while and talk with a lonely old man?"

She stared at him nervously for several moments. "I should get back before I'm missed," Sarah said as she turned to leave.

"Wait a moment, Sarah." He called after her.

"Yes?"

"I haven't anything to give thee to repay your kindness. But perhaps you'd like trade some stories." The beggar offered.

"Stories?" Sarah questioned. "What kind of stories?"

"Tales of magical beings, a far-off kingdom, and a beautiful Princess." He reached inside the pocket of his tattered jacket and pulled out a small red book. "This was always my favorite as a lad," he said as he held the book out to her.

"I… I can not read."

"Such a pity." He shook his head. "Perhaps then you'll visit me now and then and allow me to tell thee the stories myself?"

"I would like that, very much," Sarah told him before she hurried home.

Over the next several months, Sarah snuck away whenever she could. Phillip told her various stories of magical creatures called the Fae and the many Kingdoms they ruled over. At first, Sarah didn't want to believe them, for they sounded like the evil witches the church warned against. She knew her parents would certainly not approve of her hearing such things, especially from the blind beggar.

Sarah didn't truly believe the stories might be true. At least, not at first. That all changed after she made a very special wish one night.

Shaking her head, Sarah tried not to think of that night. Instead, she reached over and hugged Tobias. She nearly lost him that night and realized how important he truly was to her. Nothing was more important to her than Tobias.

Her father, Robert Williams, did all he could to provide for them and keep them safe. That included moving them all to America in order to be free to follow the word of God the way they believed was right, not the way the Church wanted to force them to do it.

Robert wasn't the only one to move his family to the colonies to escape the church. In fact, whole congregations left and formed they own communities in various parts of the new world. Robert was a God-fearing man and taught his children to repent their sins. They recited verses daily, prayed before every meal and before bed. They even blessed their livestock and thanked God for what he provided them before slaughtering it. Everything seemed to be going well for their family once they settled in Carolina.

Sarah's stepmother, Irene, was still hard on her and made her do most of the chores, but Sarah had grown used to it. Tobias made it all bearable. He often helped her with the chores and even teased her for not being ladylike by always being covered in dirt and sweat. Her time with Tobias was the best part of her day. He even helped her deal with their bratty twin siblings.

Grace and Michael, who were 3 when the Williams made the long trip to America, didn't remember England. They only knew the happy lives they had in America and now their lives were being turned upside down, just as Sarah's life had been when her father announced that they were moving to America.

"I don't want to leave the village," Grace whined.

"Hush now, Grace," Sarah warned.

"But why can't we stay?" Michael asked.

"We're leaving because Father said so," Tobias answered. "That's all you need to know."

"I don't like it," Michael grumbled.

"Mind thy tongue," Irene called over her shoulder. "Things will be better, you'll see."

"Your mother is right," Robert stated. "We'll find a nice place to build a house and we'll have all the land we need to make a farm. Perhaps we'll even find some nice apple trees."

"What about the others in the village?" Grace asked.

"They'll answer to God in the end," Robert replied. "We shall give thanks to the Lord for all he provides us."

They rode the rest of the day and just before dusk, Robert stopped the wagon. "Asketh, and you shall receiveth," Robert said as he climbed off the wagon.

"You mean you want to build a house here?" Irene questioned.

"Yes. This will be a fine farm." Robert started unloading the wagon and they made camp for the night.

Later that night, after they had their meal and said their prayers, Sarah laid awake staring at the stars. They had stopped at a clearing before a thickly forested area. There was a stream nearby and plenty of good-looking trees that could be cut down and used to build a fine home. Her father was excited and positive this would be a good place for them, but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she got when she looked at the woods.

It was an oddly familiar feeling. She had felt it the night she made that wish. The night he appeared. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about it. She could still hear his voice and see the gleam in his eyes as he taunted her. "I've brought you a gift." his voice echoed in her head.

Sitting up, she wrapped her blanket around her and rubbed her arms. No matter how much time passed or even how far away they traveled, Sarah just couldn't escape the memory of that night, the memory of him.

"Sarah?" Tobias called out to her quietly. When she looked over at him, he sat up. "Is something wrong?" he whispered.

"Just a bad dream. I'll be alright." She assured him. "Lay back down and get some sleep." She brushed his sandy blonde hair from his face and he yawned as he laid back down.

Sarah laid back and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be a better day. She prayed the Lord would watch over them and guide them. Surely her father wasn't wrong about leaving the village.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Jareth, Labyrinth, The VVitch, or any characters or ideas from their worlds. I'm simply borrowing them for a little while for my own entertainment and stress relief.

Over the next couple of months, Sarah's family managed to build a decent sized home and start a small farm. They didn't have a lot with them when they left the village, but they were making the best of it. Soon the crops would be ready to harvest and they would be able to eat something other than stale bread and the few wild berries and nuts they had found.

Robert had ventured into the forest to hunt a few times but found very little wildlife to hunt. There were a few rabbits and a squirrel or two, but certainly not enough to feed his family. Reluctantly, Robert had returned to the village with anything he thought he could use for trade. He had returned with a few goats and two hens. It wasn't much, but the goats would provide milk, and the hens would give them eggs. It was a start. If God was merciful, their harvest would be a good one and he could possibly trade for more goods later.

Sarah was quickly given the duties of feeding, milking, and seeing to the goats, as well as gathering the eggs from the hens each day. It was more work, but it was also time away from the twins.

Tobias was tasked with helping their father with the crops. Other than rare moments that they both went to the stream for water, Sarah didn't really get to spend a lot of time alone with her brother. Any time she tried to talk to him privately, Irene found some new task for Sarah to do, while she fawned over Tobias and the twins. It seemed no matter how hard she worked, it was never enough for Irene.

One day, after spending hours in the woods, Robert returned with a black goat tied to his saddle. He had to drag him out of the woods and wrestle him into the flimsy corral they had built, but he managed it.

"Where did thee find him?" Irene asked as she held the excitable twins back to prevent them from rushing over to see the beast.

"He was wandering in the woods," Robert told her. "He seems pretty tame. Perhaps he escaped the village."

Sarah stared at the horned creature. He seemed to be almost smiling as he bleated and shook his head. Turning her head, Sarah started to walk away, wanting to be far away from the goat. "What shall we call him, Father?" Tobias asked.

"His name is Black Phillip." Grace informed everyone.

"What?" Sarah turned immediately upon hearing the name.

"Black Phillip," Michael stated. "That's his name, Sarah."

Robert studied the goat and shrugged. "Very well then. We shall call him Black Phillip." He turned to Sarah, "Keep him away from the others for now. We can not have him harming one of them. Once he's settled in and comfortable with everyone, we'll let him meet the girls. Understood?"

"Yes, Father," Sarah replied as she stared at the goat.

Sarah felt uneasy as she went about her day. No matter where she went or what she did, she always felt like she was being watched and sure enough, if she looked over, Black Phillip was always looking in her direction. Part of her wondered if perhaps this goat wasn't what he seemed. She learned long ago not to take things for grants. For not everything is what it seems to be.

~*~*~*~/…/~*~*~*~

 _Sarah slipped away to go see the old beggar the day after she had rescued_ her _brother. She needed to know that it hadn't been a horrible dream. She needed to talk to someone who would believe her story. Sure he'd probably scold her for wishing her brother away to the goblins in the first place, but she had beaten the Labyrinth and saved Tobias. Surely that would count for something. Plus she needed to know if the Goblin King would come for them again. She had to make sure Tobias was safe._

 _When she reached the alley where Phillip usually sat, she found it completely empty. There was no sign the old man had ever been there. "This can't be…."_

 _"What is it, my child?" Asked Father John, who was sweeping the steps to the church._

 _"Father, what happened to the poor beggar?" Sarah asked._

 _"Beggar?" Father John walked over to her and looked down the alley. "There's been no beggar here for quite some time." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a little red book with a note tied onto it. "Would thee happen to be Sarah?"_

 _"I am." She said nervously as she eyed the book._

 _"This was left on the steps of the Church this morning. I had hoped you would come by for it soon." The Father explained._

 _Sarah took the book from him and stared at it. "I… I'm afraid I can't read."_

 _"Shall I read the note?" Sarah nodded and handed it to him."Sarah, I regret that I can not give this to thee in person. I hope one day you are able to read it yourself. Its signed with a J."_

 _"_ A J _?" Sarah looked at him confused. She couldn't read, but she did know the basic alphabet. She was certain Phillip wasn't spelled with a J._

 _"Something from your beggar friend?" The Father asked._

 _"The book was his, but he told me his name was Phillip."_

 _"Perhaps it wasn't his real name." The Father suggested. "Names can hold power, Sarah." He handed the note back to her and picked up his broom. "It would be a_ _pity for thee to not be able to read that book after your friend left it for thee. And all God's children should be able to read their verses. Shall I ask your parents after this weeks mass if I can teach thee to read?"_

 _"You'd teach me to read?" Sarah's eyes lit up._

 _"That I would."_

~*~*~*~/…/~*~*~*~

Sarah was pulled from her memories by the screams of the twins. Racing out of the barn, she found the twins standing by the edge of the woods. "Grace! Michael! What is it?" She called as she ran over to them.

The twins pointed up at the tree they were starring at. Hanging from the highest branch was the remains of a large bird. The body was mangled and blood was dripping down the tree's trunk. Sarah quickly covered their eyes and pulled them towards the house.

"Sarah, what is going on?" Irene yelled as she came out of the house, Tobias right behind her.

"Up in the tree." Sarah said as she forced the struggling twins to go back to the house.

"Heaven above…." Irene made a cross over her chest and said a prayer.

"How did it get up there?" Tobias asked as he rushed over to his mother.

"A bear probably carried it up there," Robert stated as he walked over. "Or another bird attacked it while they were in the tree. I'll get rid of it."

Sarah forced the twins inside and closed the door. Turning back, she watched her father cut down the tree. The bird's corpse landed on the ground and Sarah's stomach twisted in knots. Its eyes were open and staring right at her. She didn't know why but it reminded her of something she saw years ago. She heard the voice echo in her head. _"Let's take off her head!"_

She forced herself to look away and refused to look back. She returned to the barn and continued her work, trying not to think of the bird or the creature it reminded her of.

~*~*~*~/…/~*~*~*~

That night, Sarah laid in her bed staring at the ceiling. The wind outside was howling and she could hear the panicked cries of the goats outside along with the clucks of the chickens. Covering her head with her pillow, Sarah tried to ignore them all and get some sleep. But peaceful sleep wasn't something she would be allowed to have that night.

"Sarah." Irene called as she walked into the room she shared with the twins. She didn't even bother to knock. "Go see to the animals. We can not have them hurting themselves."

With a heavy sigh, Sarah got up and dressed and wrapped a blanket around herself before heading out to check on the animals. When she stepped outside she was hit with a strong gust of cold air that nearly knocked her down. The howl of the wind sounded more like a that of a wild animal now that she was outside. Shivering from the cold, Sarah hurried to the barn, praying the lantern she was carrying stayed lit.

Just as she reached the barn, the caw of a crow in a nearby tree startled her, making her jump. She held the lantern up hoping to see where the bird was when she heard it caw again, but it was too dark. Glancing up, she noticed the dark sky. No sign of the moon or the stars. The sky was completely blacked out by clouds.

Once she was in the barn with the door closed, she heard the rain start pouring down. "Tis not fair." She muttered to herself as she hung the lantern from the large nail on the post in the center of the barn. The two female goats rubbed against Sarah's legs as a loud crack of thunder startled them all. "Easy girls," Sarah said trying to sooth them. "Tis alright."

She sat down in the hay with them and got them to calm down. The chickens were in their coop, clucking nervously, but even they seemed to calm down a bit knowing Sarah was there. Looking around, Sarah suddenly got nervous when she noticed Black Phillip was staring at her. He was tied to the post in the corner so that he couldn't bother the girls, but even so, Sarah didn't like being there with him.

"Lay down Phillip, the storm will pass soon enough." Sarah tried talking to him, but she had trouble looking at him. "Right girls?" She patted the goats by her and pulled the blanket tighter around her. The goats settled down and soon went to sleep, as did the chickens. Soon the only sound that could be heard was the howl of the wind, the rain pounding on the roof, and the patter of water dripping down through leaks in the roof. It reminded her of another stormy night. A night she desperately wanted to forget.

Though she tried to stay awake, soon sleep overcame her and soon she was fast asleep.

 _Sarah was in the nursey. Lightning flash and thunder roared. The candles had all been extinguished and the sounds of scampering feet running around the room along with laughter could be heard. The rain was banging against the window along with the talons of a white bird._

 _The window magically opened and in flew a barn owl, but it wasn't an ordinary owl. It changed shape as it landed on the floor in front of her and suddenly Sarah was in the shadow of a tall figure. "Thou are him, Thou are the Goblin King."_

Sarah sat up with a start. She was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. Looking around, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. The lantern had gone out, but the storm had passed and the moon was shining brightly. Its light was shining in through cracks in the roof and the one tiny window. Once her eyes had adjusted, she saw the animals were all sleeping soundly.

Getting up, Sarah brushed the hay from her clothes and grabbed the lantern. Before she headed back to the house, she glanced over to the corner Black Phillip was tied in, but he wasn't there. The rope had been chewed through. "Oh, no…" Sarah looked around, but there was no sign of the black goat. "Irene shall blame me for this."

She hurried outside and looked around. She spotted Black Phillip standing by the edge of the woods. When the barn door closed, the goat turned to look at her, the light from the moon making his eyes almost glow. Sarah stood there, frozen in fear at the sight of him. He snorted and pawed the ground. Fearing he was going to charge, Sarah hurried to the house. As she went to open the door, she heard the caw of a crow and looked over her shoulder before going inside. She saw Black Phillip looking up at a crow sitting in the tree.

Once she was inside, she closed and locked the door. She was shaking but she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was fear of being attacked by the goat, perhaps it was the fear of what her parents were going to do when they learned she let Black Phillip get out, or maybe it was something else. Sarah hurried back to her room and climbed into her bed on the floor. The twins were sleeping peacefully and didn't even move when she climbed into bed. She watched them for a moment before closing her eyes. She said a silent prayer that her father wouldn't be too angry with her in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah awoke hours later to find the sun was already high in the sky. "Oh, no!" She cried as she quickly jumped up and dressed. "Irene shall kill me if I do not tend to the animals." As she rushed out to feed the goats and gather eggs, she was surprised to see Tobias exiting the barn with milk pails in hand.

"Good morrow, sister dear." He smiled. "I've fed and milked the goats and collected the eggs."

"Why did no one wake me?" Sarah inquired as she took one of the pails from her brother.

"Mother was going to, but when I told father that thee had been out for hours comforting the animals during the storm, he commanded that ye be allowed to rest."

"Irene must have been livid with none to do the chores."

"I volunteered to do your work. Father was very displeased that mother made you go out in the storm." Tobias explained. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a bag and handed it to his sister. Opening it, she looked at him with confusion. "Mother did not want to save any food for thee. I snuck a few things from the table."

"Thank you, Toby." Sarah smiled as she called him by his nickname. "Let me help thee with the rest of the chores."

The first thing Sarah did was look for Black Phillip. She hoped he hadn't wandered far. To her surprise he was in the barn, tied to the post just as he should be. "Tobias," she called as she raced to catch up to her younger brother who was heading to the fenced-in area, where the chickens were roaming, with a bag of corn. "How did thee get Black Phillip back into the barn?"

"What dost thou mean?"

"Last night Black Phillip chewed through the rope and escaped."

"Ye must be mistaken, sister. Phillip was in the barn, still tied, when I went in there this morning."

"What?"

"Perhaps thee dreamed it," Tobias stated as he walked away.

Sarah turned back to look at the tree she vividly recalled seeing Black Phillip standing under. Walking over she could see indents in the dirt as if an animal had pawed the ground. "Twas no dream..." she whispered before running to join her brother.

Together the two worked to get all the daily chores done and even though Sarah got a late start they finished everything in record time. Just before lunch, the two traveled to the stream to fetch water. Along the way, Sarah stopped and stared at an unusual sight. Seeing his sister stop, Tobias looked back. "Sarah?"

Several feet in front of Sarah was a ring of mushrooms. "Tis a fairy ring." She whispered. The old beggar had told her about them, but she had never seen one in person.

"Faerie ring?" Tobias asked.

"They are made when the faire folk dance under the moon," Sarah told him with a smile. "The Fairies have blessed this land. Tis a sign of good fortune. Our crops should flourish."

Tobias gave his sister a look of concern. "Sounds like the work of the devil. Witchcraft. Best not to let mother and Father hear you speak of such things."

As he went to approach the ring, Sarah grabbed him. "No!" She hugged him tightly. "Ye must not enter a faerie ring. Misfortune befalls those that do."

"Sarah, how does thee come to know all this?" Tobias asked as he pulled from her embrace.

Before Sarah could reply, Grace poked her head around the tree she was hiding behind. "Because she's a witch."

"Yea, she made a pact with the devil," Micheal added as he appeared on the other side of the tree.

"What are you two doing out here?" Tobias demanded.

"Keeping an eye on the witch." Grace giggled.

"I'm not a witch!" Sarah shouted.

"Liar!" The twins yelled.

"Sarah is a witch, Black Phillip told us so," Grace said in a sing-song voice as she skipped around Sarah.

"Black Phillip, Black Phillip, a crown grows out his head. Black Phillip, Black Phillip, to nanny queen is wed. Jump to the fence post. Running in the stall. Black Phillip, Black Phillip, king of all." Grace and Michael sang as they skipped around their older siblings.

"Stop that!" Tobias yelled. "Listen to thee. Ye sound like proper fools. Talking to a goat."

"Maybe you're the witch." Sarah accused. "Dancing around here claiming a goat is King." Sarah walked off, not wanting to deal with them anymore.

The twins laughed as she hurried off and Tobias glared at them. "Get thee back home before Mother notices thine absence."

Tobias rushed to catch up to his sister, who was filling her pail in the stream. "Sarah!"

Sighing, she placed the filled pail on the bank. "Did thee send them home?"

"I did, but they never listen," Tobias replied as he knelt by his sister.

"Irene shall blame me for their disobedience no doubt." Sarah sighed. "Maybe I should let them become goblins."

"Goblins?" Tobias sat on a large rock and studied his sister. "Sister, be honest with me. How dost thou know of such things? Are thou truly a witch?"

"Fear not, dear brother, I am no witch. I know these things because I met an older beggar years ago that told me of these things. He told me stories of magical beings and their customs. He even told me of a King who took unwanted children if you say the right words."

"Why would he take unwanted children?" Tobias questioned. "What does he do with them?"

"Turns them into goblins," Sarah replied as she stood. "We should get back." She said as she grabbed her pails. "Irene shall scold us for taking so long. While what she said was true, Sarah mainly wanted to avoid more questions from her brother. She didn't like thinking about, much less talking about, the Goblin King.

Tobias filled his pails and hurried home with his sister. On the way, he glanced over at the Faerie Ring and nearly dropped his pails. The ring had been trampled, not a single mushroom was left standing.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

Over the next couple of weeks, things began to take a turn for the worse. The crops started to die, the hens stopped laying eggs, and the goats barely produced enough milk to fill a glass. Tobias spent most of the day in the woods, setting traps with his father, while Sarah tried to keep the twins out of trouble, which wasn't easy.

Sarah had been milking the goats when Grace came in the barn. "Not now, Grace. I have to see to the girls."

"I came to see his majesty, Black Phillip," Grace stated in a high and mighty tone.

"And I said not now." Sarah scolded. "I have enough to do with thee making a mess."

While she was busy trying to keep Grace out, Sarah hadn't seen Michael sneak in. He rushed over and untied Black Phillip and ran out the door with him.

"Black Phillip, Black Phillip, a crown grows out his head. Black Phillip, Black Phillip, to nanny queen is wed. Jump to the fence post. Running in the stall. Black Phillip, Black Phillip, king of all." The twins sang as loud as they could as they ran across the yard with the black goat.

Their shouts startled the girls and they ran from Sarah, knocking over the pail of milk. "You little devils!" Sarah screamed after them. Picking up the pail she managed to save a small amount of milk, but not enough to do anything with it.

After cleaning up the mess in the barn, Sarah grabbed a basket and walked into the woods. She hoped to find a few trees that still had fruit, but at first glance that seemed unlikely. She did find a few berries, but they were scarce as well.

"Sarah..." she turned when she heard someone call her name, but there was no one there. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of the voice. It sounded like him... but it couldn't have been.

After searching for an hour, Sarah had a small number of blackberries, a handful of raspberries, a couple of apples, and 4 pears. She had found one tree that was full of fruit, but she dared not take one, no matter how tempting the peaches looked.

Upon return to the small house, Sarah found her stepmother waiting for her at the door, with hands on her hips. "Where have thou been?"

Offering the basket to Irene, Sarah tried to look cheerful. "I was gathering some fruit. Tis not much but it should be enough for all of us to share tonight."

"Oh really?" Irene's tone was anything but pleased. "Too bad we won't have milk to drink with our supper."

Sarah looked past her, into the house when she heard giggling. "I know it's not much. The girls just aren't producing like they were."

"I am aware of that, just as I'm aware that half of the milk wound up on the floor," Irene said sternly. She stepped inside and Sarah followed. She saw the twins peering from the other room. "I thought thee too old for such childish nonsense."

"What?"

"Honestly, kicking the pail over and throwing things about to scare the twins? Thee should be ashamed of such behavior."

Sarah glared at her youngest half-siblings. "Is that what they told thee? Did they mention how they scared the girls and ran out with Black Phillip singing?" She demanded.

"I told thee not to let them near that beast. Tis not safe." Irene argued.

"I do not let them do anything. They do as they wish because you let them. Ye blame me and make them out be angels when they are little devils."

"Enough!" Irene shouted as she slapped Sarah across the face. "Now ye will apologize to thyne siblings and go to bed with no supper tonight."

"Tis not fair!" Sarah screamed as she ran out the door. She could her stepmother yelling after her, but she didn't listen. Sarah just kept running. She didn't stop until she reached the stream.

There she collapsed on the bank and cried. She hated her life. No matter what she did, Irene found some fault or blame her for some misfortune. Sarah was certain she would blame her for the crops dying and the chickens' lack of eggs next.

"Someone take me away from this awful place..." she sobbed.

"Say your right words..." she heard voices echo in her head.

Sitting up she stared at her reflection. For a brief moment, she saw herself as she looked in the ballroom once more. "Was any of it real?"

Sarah clearly heard the song from the ball in her head. She remembered how he looked, how he smelled, and how it felt to be held in his arms. "I wish..."

Shaking her head she grabbed a stone and threw it into the stream and cried out in anger. "No! I won't let him trick me again."

Sarah sat by the stream for a long time, just skipping stones as she thought of many things. Such as the friends that helped her save Tobias, Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus. She wondered if they were alright. Lost in her thoughts, she eventually dozed off, never noticing the man watching her from across the stream.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

That night, Robert and Tobias returned home with smiles. They had managed to catch two rabbits in their traps. It wasn't much, but fresh meat was a welcome change, even if it would only be a bite or two for each of them.

Just before leaving the woods, Tobias spotted a fruit tree filled with large, ripe fruit. He and his father gathered all they could and hurried home. "Mother, look!" He cried as he rushed inside. "Father caught 2 rabbits!"

"They be rather small but should make a decent meal. Tell thyne father to clean them and wash up for supper." Irene replied as she hugged her oldest.

Tobias did as he was asked and rushed outside to find his father tending to their one and only horse. Once the rabbits were skinned and cleaned, they were taken inside for Irene to cook. While his mother prepared dinner, Tobias went to find Sarah. He wanted to tell her that he had seen another Faerie ring. She was convinced the twins had trampled the first one and caused all their misfortune. Maybe finding a second one would mean a change in their luck. He wasn't sure how she knew about these things, but he trusted her. The work of the Devil or the work of Faeries, either way, he wanted to know more.

Searching everywhere proved futile, for Sarah had not returned home yet. "Mother, where is Sarah?"

"The heathen ran off screaming hours ago," Irene replied as casual as if she had just told him the sky was blue.

"We must look for her!" Tobias grabbed a lantern and headed for the door.

"Ye shall do no such thing!" His mother barked. "Let the foolish girl drown. She'll be one less curse upon us. Her childish antics be the reason we shall have no milk tonight. I told her to go to bed without supper and she ran off screaming like a banshee." Irene placed plates on the table and checked the meat cooking on the fire. "Supper shall be ready soon. Go fetch your Father and the twins."

Tobias found his appetite lacking, most likely due to his worrying about Sarah. His father acted as if nothing was wrong and didn't even ask where she was. He knew there was no point in asking him, for he always sided with his wife. If she punished them for anything, it was his duty to help her carry it out. He also knew questioning his mother in front of Robert was the one sure way to anger him. No, Tobias would have to find Sarah after dinner, once everyone was asleep.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

Later that night, Sarah still hadn't returned. The twins went to bed, with protest, as usual, and Robert and Irene had retired to their room. Tobias snuck out of his room and passed his parent's room. There was just a cloth hanging that acted as a door, so he had to be extremely quiet. He froze when he heard his father speak.

"Tell me, wife, where is Sarah?" Robert inquired.

"Eaten by wolves if we're lucky," Irene replied.

"Irene..."

"Tis her fault." Irene interrupted. "All of it. She has bewitched the crops and animals. Today she kicked the pail of milk over and laughed about. She terrorizes the twins. Grace swears she's a witch, and think she may be right."

"Sarah's no witch," Robert responded. "She's just growing up. Twas rough losing her mother. She needs to be taught how to be a lady. How to run a home and be a good wife."

"No man will marry the likes of her." Irene scoffed.

"Perhaps, but one might take her as a servant. A girl her age should fetch a decent price. I could return her to the village on the marrow."

"If the foolish girl returns," Irene stated. "I commanded her to go to bed with no supper and she ran off screaming."

Sighing, Robert blew out the candle. "I shall search for her at first light and take her to the village when I find her."

"If not at least tis one less mouth to feed," Irene replied.

Tobias stood still listening in horror. He couldn't believe his father would suggest selling his sister to someone. He couldn't let that happen. Sneaking to the kitchen he grabbed the remaining scraps of supper and snuck out. He was going to find his sister and protect her.

Knowing his sister, Tobias figured that the first place she'd run to would be the stream. She always said it was peaceful there. As he approached he saw a figure kneeling on the bank. A grin spread across his face as he started to run. "Sarah!"

When he reached the figure, Tobias froze. It wasn't his sister. The man stood and stepped towards him. He was dark, dressing in dark clothing and his eyes appeared to glow as the boy held up his lantern. "Well, hello there, master Tobias. And what brings you here so late?" The man asked with a smirk, the light of the moon shining on his pointed teeth.

Tobias dropped his lantern, turned, and ran. He soon felt fear and exhaustion overwhelm him and then everything went black. The last thing the boy heard was a maniacal laugh echoing through the woods.


	4. Chapter 4

_You're no match for me, Sarah..._

 _What's said is said..._

 _How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?_

 _But I'll be there for you..._

 _Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel..._

 _Just fear me, love me, do as I say..._

Sarah sat up with a start, her heart pounding and her body covered in sweat. His voice continued to echo in her head. Blinking, she looked around and quickly realized she was in the barn. "How did I..."

Her sentence went unfinished as she froze when she heard someone expel a large breath as if they had been holding it in. Looking behind her she saw Black Phillip standing there, the rope around his neck had been chewed through again. He stepped closer and laid down in the hay beside her, his eyes never leaving her.

"You're not just a goat, are you?" Sarah asked cautiously. Black Phillip just tilted his head and stared at her.

Shaking her head, Sarah stood and brushed the hay and dirt from her clothes. "Irene probably thinks I got eaten by some wild creature by now. Perhaps she even hopes that to be the case."

Exiting the barn, she saw it was the middle of the night. Everything was quiet and the moon was full. Looking up she gazed at the moon and sighed. When she went into the house the first thing she noticed was the smell. The sickening sweet smell made her sick to her stomach. The house smelled of peaches.

Stumbling into her room, Sarah nearly tripped over the pile of cloth on the other side of the curtain. Too tired to worry about what mess the twins had made, she stepped around the pile and went to her bed, only to find it was currently occupied by the twins.

With a heavy sigh, Sarah went to the tiny bed they usually shared. It was barely big enough for Sarah to fit on, but it would have to do for the night. In the morning she would deal with the twins and Irene, for now, she needed sleep. She just hoped that she wouldn't dream of him again.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

The next morning, Sarah woke to find her father and stepmother standing over her, grim expressions upon their faces. Sitting up, she looked at her father. "What bothers thee, father? Have I overslept?"

"Where is your brother?" Robert asked in a stern voice.

Looking over, Sarah saw Micheal and Grace were still curled up on her bed. "Micheal be there, Father, with Grace. The brats stole my bed last night."

"I was not asking about Michael. I can see he's there." Robert raised his voice.

"Shhh, you'll wake the twins," Irene whispered as she tried to calm her husband. "Sarah where is Tobias?"

"Is he not in his room?" Sarah's eyes grew wide with fear.

"Nay." Irene shook her head. "He tis not in the barn or by the stream. We woke to find him gone this marrow."

"I believe he went to search for thee last night," Robert told her. "Tell me, Sarah, where were thee. Your mother says you ran off after she scolded ye."

"She..." Sarah stopped seeing the look from her father. There was no point in arguing about Irene's false accusations. "I ran to the stream. I stayed there for hours. At some point, I must have wandered back and fallen asleep in the barn."

"You wandered back?" Irene questioned.

"I guess. I woke in the barn last night." Sarah answered.

Robert nodded. "Dress and take me to where you went. We must find thy brother." He left the room so she could dress.

Irene waited for her husband to leave the room and then turned to glare at Sarah. "If anything happens to him..."

"Irene," Robert called from the kitchen.

Irene shook her head and let Sarah dress. As she did she heard giggles from her bed. "Stop pretending to be asleep you two. Get up and help us look for Tobias."

Grace was the first to get out of bed. "I was hoping you weren't coming back." She spat as she pulled on her dress.

"Is that why ye stole my bed?" Sarah asked as she tied her skirt and pulled her shirt over her shift.

"Black Phillip told us thee were going away," Michael stated. "So thee would not need the bed."

"I'm tired of hearing what Black Phillip has to say." Sarah shook her head. She frowned as she remembered him in the barn. "He knows nothing."

The twins laughed and ran out singing their song about Black Phillip. Sarah went out to join her father once she was dressed. She took him to the stream and they found a lantern abandoned on the ground there. "Did Tobias really come looking for me?" She whispered to herself as she picked up the lantern.

"His tracks go that way, towards the woods," Robert said as he knelt. "What was the boy thinking?"

Sarah followed her father into the woods as he followed the tracks. With each step, Sarah's stomach tightened. Her father worried that he may have come across a wolf or a bear. She worried about something far more dangerous.

Deep in the woods, they found Tobias's coat and shoes. The coat was folded neatly with the shoes resting on top as if he had removed them and placed them there with care at the base of an Ash tree.

"What foolishness is this?" Robert questioned as he picked up the shoes and coat. "The boy will surely be ill out here with no shoes nor coat."

After searching for hours with no further sign of Tobias, Robert and Sarah returned to the farm. Irene raced over to her husband when they walked out of the woods. "My boy, where is he?" she cried.

"All we found were these," Robert said as he handed her the coat and shoes, "and a lantern."

"This is all your fault!" Irene lunged at Sarah, but Robert grabbed her. "I'll never forgive thee!"

"Quiet woman," Robert tried to calm his wife, but she kept screaming at Sarah as he dragged her to the house. Sarah stood there, her mouth open, as she watched her father practically carry her stepmother in the house, kicking and screaming the whole way.

"You did this." Grace accused.

"Is he a goblin?" Michael asked.

"What?" Sarah looked at her youngest brother. "Why would you say that?"

"We heard you," Grace stated. "You wanted someone to make us into goblins."

"That's right," Michael hid behind his sister. "You made Tobias into a goblin didn't you?"

"No!" Sarah screamed. "I fought to prevent that!"

"Sarah's a witch." Grace said as she grabbed her brother's hand."She made a deal with the devil and asked that he make us goblins!" Grace screamed before she ran inside with her brother.

Sarah stared at the woods and shook as she felt a chill run down her spine. "Give him back." She whispered to the wind. "I beat your Labyrinth. Ye have to right to take him." She fell to her knees, tears running down her face. "Give him back...Give him back!"

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

A week went by with no sign of Tobias. Irene did nothing but glare at Sarah and mutter under her breath. Robert spent each day in the woods searching for his son. Sarah tended to the animals and tried no to let the twins bother her with their constant singing and accusations of her being a witch.

As she went to fetch water one eveing she spotted a patch of marigolds and an idea came to her.

 _"How can ye see a Fae?" Sarah asked the old beggar._

 _"Well, most Fae like to hide from humans," Phillip told her. "Some, like his majesty, the Goblin King, are quite vain and like to show off. But be careful, my dear. Fae are tricky and never give or take anything for free. Never make an agreement without knowing all the details."_

 _"But what about the ones that don't want to be seen?" Sarah asked. Everything Phillip told her about the Fae indicated that they were extremely beautiful, almost angelic._

 _"Well, legend has it that if you rub marigold water under thyn eyes, you can see them," Phillip explained. "But don't let them know you see them. Doing so could be dangerous. The Fae hide for a reason."_

Sarah gathered the marigolds and returned home with the water.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

Later that evening, just before dark, Sarah took the marigolds and snuck out to the barn. She wasn't sure exactly what the old blind beggar had meant by marigold water, so she ground the flowers between her fingers and rubbed the moisture under her eyes. She wasn't sure if she was doing it correctly, or if it would work at all, but she had to try.

Blinking, she looked around but saw nothing. Even looking at Phillip proved nothing. He looked like a normal black goat. Sarah was about to give up and go back inside when she noticed something odd. Black Phillip certainly looked normal, but his shadow didn't. The Shadow looked human.

Before Sarah could react, there was a blood-curdling scream from the house. Sarah raced out of the barn and froze when she saw what had made Irene scream. Standing completely naked, and covered in blood, in front of the house was Tobias.


	5. Chapter 5

After getting Tobias into the house, Sarah helped Irene wash the blood from his body. Sarah said a silent prayer that there were no cuts on his body. While she was happy the blood didn't appear to be her brother's, she still felt uneasy. Where had he been? What happened to him? How did he get home?

If he was taken by the being she feared that he was taken by, the only way he would have been released was if something had happened. When she wished him away all those years ago to the goblins, the only way to get him back was for Sarah to beat Jareth's Labyrinth. So what happened to get Tobias back this time? She hoped her brother could tell her what happened.

Once Tobias was washed and clothed, he was tucked into bed. He stared at the ceiling, never blinking or speaking. Irene and Sarah both tried talking to him, but it was useless. He made no indication that he even heard them.

Over the next week, Irene barely left his side. She forced water and a little bit of food into his mouth, but it wasn't enough. Each day he grew paler. Irene prayed over him all day, asking God to save him from whatever evil spell he was under.

Sarah kept a watchful eye on things around the farm. While the crops, flowers, and even the grass around the farm continued to die, there was plenty of life in the woods. She spotted numerous faerie rings, heard whispers and laughter from the woods, and the few pieces of jewelry Irene had kept with her had suddenly vanished. Sarah was of course blamed for that.

The twins had been spending more time whispering to the black goat, but no longer sang their obnoxious song or dance around him. They simply sat in the hay talking quietly with him. Occasionally they would give Sarah odd looks as she walked by, but Sarah tried to keep her distance from the beast.

One evening, when Irene was finally convinced to leave Tobias's side, Sarah sat by her brother and held his hand. He felt cold to the touch and was white as a sheet. "Oh, Toby..." She sighed as she kissed his hand. "What happened to you?" Tears welled up in her eyes as she brushed his hair from his face. His blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. "Were you taken again? Did he do this to you?"

Sarah laid her head beside her brother as the tears streamed down her face. She cursed herself. If only she hadn't wished him away all those years ago, maybe none of this would be happening.

"The babe..."

Sarah sat up when she heard the voice. "What?"

"The babe..." Tobias mumbled.

"Toby?"

"Remind me of the babe..." He continued to mumble.

"Babe? What babe? Tobias, what are ye talking about?"

Tobias just kept repeating the same thing over and over. Sarah called her father to the room. Robert rushed to his son's side and took his hand. "What is it, my boy? Tell me what's happened to thee."

Irene, hearing the commotion, rushed in and pulled Tobias into her arms. "My baby, my baby..." She sobbed as she rocked him in her arms. "Praise be to God."

"The babe..."

As Sarah watched the scene before her, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Before she had time to react, the twins ran in shouting, "Tobias! Tobias!"

Robert grabbed them both and kept them from tackling their mother and brother. "Give him some space."

"Black Phillip said he was awake." Michael grinned.

"He said we could play with Tobias now," Grace added.

Their comments filled Sarah with dread. "Father..."

"Relax children. Your brother only just started talking." Robert said, ignoring Sarah. "All he is saying is the babe. I haven't the faintest idea what he's talking about."

"Babe with the power..." Tobias looked at his father and kept mumbling.

"Jesus." Irene smiled as she kissed Tobias's head. "My boy is asking that the son of God help him through this." She bowed her head and started praying.

Robert had the twins sit by their brother and bowed his head and joined his wife in prayer. Sarah moved closer and joined them in prayer. After a moment, Sarah noticed the twins weren't praying. "Grace, Michael, bow your heads," she instructed.

Realizing that they weren't praying, Robert opened his eyes. "Pray children. Thank the Lord for returning your brother to us."

"I can't," Michael said as he grabbed his stomach, his face scrunched up as if in pain.

"I've forgotten how to pray," Grace added as she also grabbed her stomach.

Their lack of prayer was quickly forgotten as Tobias started to spasm. He writhed and cried out in pain. "No! I won't go back!"

"Tobias, speak to me." Irene held his hand as tears poured down her face. "What has happened to thee?"

The boy sat up and started coughing and grabbed his throat, his breathing labored. Robert patted him on the back as he whispered to him. Continuing to hack, Tobias doubled over, his body shaking as it tried to purge itself of something. Sarah grabbed the twins and tried to pull them from the room, but they fought her every step of the way. With one final heave, a blood-covered object flew across the room, stopping at Sarah's feet.

Seeing what it was, Sarah froze. The twins broke free of her grasp and rushed back to their parents. Tobias fell forward, unconscious, and Irene grabbed him pulling him to her.

"I don't want to be a goblin!" Michael exclaimed.

"Goblin?" Irene slowly laid Tobias back on his bed and stood. "What are thou talking about?"

"Tobias is going to turn into a goblin," Grace said quickly. "Sarah did it! She witched him away. I heard her. She was going to let us be turned into goblins!"

"What nonsense is this!" Robert demanded as he stood. He grabbed Grace by the arm and made her look at him. "Tell me now, child, is what you speak the truth?"

"Aye!" Grace cried as her father squeezed her arm. "I heard her! She said she'd let him make us into goblins!"

"Sarah, tell me truthfully, did thee say such things?" Robert asked as he turned to glare at his oldest.

"Witch!" Irene cried. "You cursed my boy and this family!" She lunged at Sarah and grabbed her by the throat. "I should have drowned thee long ago!"

As Sarah fought against her stepmother, the twins started chanting, "Power of voodoo, power of Voodoo..."

Robert struggled to pull his wife off of Sarah. "Let her go, woman!" He pried her hands away from his daughter's throat and tossed her to the side. He pulled Sarah to him and hugged her close. "Shhh..." He rubbed her back and guided her outside.

Outside, Robert let go of Sarah and paced around in front of the barn. "Sarah, you know I love thee, correct?"

"Aye, Father, and I love thee."

Sighing, Robert ran his fingers through his hair. "I know losing your mother was hard and ye haven't' always gotten along with Irene, but tell me and I want the honest truth. Are ye a witch?"

"What?" Sarah's eyes bugged out. "No, of course not.

"Have ye made a pact with the devil? Did ye sign his book?"

"No! No!" Sarah fell to her knees in front of her father and grabbed his hand. "I would never do such a thing! I am no witch!"

"Then explain what I saw inside? What happened to your brother? Why did the twins forget how to pray?" Robert demanded.

Sarah hesitated. She had no idea why the twins acted the way they did. "I..."

"Did you witch your brother away?" Robert questioned.

"No, I..." Sarah debated telling him about wishing Tobias away to the goblins but thought better of it. That would be the same as telling him she was a witch and would surely anger her father. "Wait... the twins!"

"What about them?" Robert was growing impatient.

"They talk with Black Phillip. Doesn't the devil often take the form of a black goat?" Sarah stood and looked around. "I knew something wasn't right about that goat."

Robert thought about what Sarah said and charged back inside the house. The twins were still chanting bout voodoo and Irene was crying over Tobias's sleeping form. "Enough!" He grabbed the twins by their arms and pulled them to the center of the room. "Are thee witches? Have thee made pacts with the devil in disguise as Black Phillip?"

The twins instantly turned silent and stared at the floor. When neither spoke, Robert grabbed them and drug them outside. "Sarah, Come with me!" The twin screamed the whole way to the barn until he pushed them inside. Sarah followed her father obediently. "Since ye will not tell me the truth, you can stay in there with your Black Phillip!" The twins cried and begged him not to leave them there.

Before Sarah could react, her father shoved her into the barn with the twins. "Wait!" Sarah tried to fight but he was too strong.

"The three of you shall remain here tonight," Robert stated as he placed a board across the door, locking them in.

Banging on the door, Sarah pleaded with her father to let her out. "Tis not fair!" Sarah cried. "Please, Father, don't leave me here with them! You can't leave me locked up with that beast!"

Robert ignored their pleas and cries to let them out and returned inside to see to Tobias, who was still unconscious. The twins huddled together in a corner and watched their sister as she paced. Sarah kept her eyes on Black Phillip, who was tied to his post in the back of the barn.

Grace rubbed her arms and looked around, unsure of what to do. "Sarah."

"Yeah?" Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to talk to either of them at the moment, but something about Grace's tone made her respond.

"Were you really going to have us turned into goblins?" Grace asked as she grabbed her brother's hand.

Sighing, Sarah sat down. "No, Grace. I would never let you or Michael become goblins. I made that mistake once."

"What?" Michael's eyes bugged out. "Are you a witch Sarah?"

"No, no. I just made a mistake." Sarah motioned for them to come closer and after a moment of hesitation, both moved closer to their sister. She told them the story of how she learned about the Goblin King and in a moment of frustration said the words that would haunt her for years. The twins listened intently as Sarah told of her adventures in the Underground and how she saved Tobias.

When she was done, Grace sat on her lap and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Sarah."

"I'm sorry too," Michael added as he leaned against her.

"We were just having fun." Grace explained.

Sarah smiled and hugged her siblings. "It's alright. We just have..." She froze as she glanced over to where Black Phillip was always tied. The rope had been chewed threw once more and the black goat was gone.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

Once the sun went down, Sarah found herself feeling extremely on edge. The twins stayed by her side and their parents hadn't bothered to come out to check on them. Sarah did her best to keep them warm once the night air became chilled. The goats and chickens huddle by the children and all seemed quiet. Too quiet.

Sarah had searched but found no way that Black Phillip could have gotten out of the barn. There were no holes and the door was still locked from the outside. Sarah had a theory, but she kept it to herself. "Does he really talk to you?" She asked Grace.

The young girl shrugged. "I like to think that he does. I hear a voice in my head at times. Does that make me crazy?"

"No, Grace. You're not crazy. Just be careful listening to voices in your head."

The night was dark and cold and filled with strange sounds. Despite all the odd noises the animals in the barn with Sarah and the twins were calm and sleeping peacefully. The twins eventually passed out from exhaustion and Sarah kept watch over them till she started to doze off herself. Just as she was drifting off, the barn door opened.

Black Phillip stood at the barn door and his eyes seemed to glow. Sarah stood and stepped forward as he stared at her and the twins. "Did you come to free us?"

Phillip tilted his head as if considering her question. He shook his head, snorting and stamping the ground with his hooves. Sarah was certain he was preparing to charge and she was correct.

Sarah barely managed to grab Grace and Michael and pulled them to safety as the goat charged them. She raced for the barn door but it closed just before she reached it and refused to budge. "Father! Help!" She cried out but was certain her father and stepmother were asleep and even if they heard her cries the would most likely ignore them.

Turning to look behind her, Sarah saw Phillip preparing to charge again. Frantically she searched for something to use to defend herself or somewhere to get out of his reach. She saw a rope hanging from the rafters and grabbed Grace, who was hiding behind her. "Quickly, climb the rope to the rafters." She said as she lifted the girl up so she could reach.

Grace grabbed the rope and slowly climbed up, stopping only to scream as she saw Phillip charge again.

Sarah held Michael in her arms and dodged at the last second as the goat attempted to ram into her with his black horns. He missed the children and ran into the wall his horns impaling the wood.

Sarah quickly lifted Michael up and told him to join his sister on the rafters. Just as he climbed up and grabbed the wood by Grace, Phillip shook his head free of the wall and turned to face Sarah.

"Look out!" Grace cried in fear.

Sarah looked back in time to see Phillip charge once more, but not at her. Blinking in confusion, she watched as he ran into the support beam in the center of the barn, causing the entire building to shake. Grace screamed and held on tight as Michael, who had been attempting to climb onto the rafter, nearly fell.

"He's after the twins..." Sarah realized. As the goat rammed the pole a second time, Sarah grabbed a pitchfork and got between him and the pole. "Hurry! Climb up the rafters to the roof. Thou should be able to climb through if you go to where the hole is."

Michael wasted no time scurrying up the beams. Grace hesitated as she watched her sister fend off the goat. "What about you?"

"I'll keep him away from the beams. Once ye get out carefully climb down and open the door." Sarah explained as she slowly forced the goat to back up.

Reluctantly, Grave joined up brother higher on the beams and they made their way to the hole in the roof. The hole itself wasn't large enough for them to crawl through, but they could reach through and pull at the thatching. Once they started pulling at the sides of the hole, dried leaves, grass, and straw started raining down on Sarah.

She backed away to avoid the debris and risked a glance up just in time to see Michael scrambled up on to the roof. She only took her eyes Phillip for a moment, and that was all the time he needed to slip by her and charge the support beam once more.

Up on the roof, the twins had managed to escape and were looking for the best place to climb down. As they stood on the edge of the barn's roof, the building shook and they screamed as they lost their footing.

Inside, Sarah swiped at the goat with the pitchfork and tried to chase him from the pole. She heard the twins scream followed by a loud sickening thud. "No..." dreading what that sound meant, she dropped the pitchfork and raced to the door. The door pushed open with no effort and she raced out, leaving Black Phillip behind.

Sarah came to a halt once she rounded the corner. By the light of the moon, she found her young siblings laying in the dead grass, their eyes staring at the stars. They would have looked peaceful if not for the blood dripping from their noses and lips along with the odd angles their lips were positioned in.

"No!" Sarah fell to her knees, tears pouring down her face. "Grace...Michael..." she sobbed.

As Sarah buried her head in her hands, Black Phillip came up behind her and observed the scene. Finding nothing of interest, he turned and return to his usual place in the barn.

Once Sarah got over the shock of the death of her siblings, she got up, wiped her eyes and went to wake her Father. She would most likely be blamed for their deaths, but it didn't matter anymore. Tobias was unconscious, possibly dead, her youngest siblings

The front door was locked, which she found unusual. Banging on the door she called out to her father. There was no answer, in fact, she couldn't hear a sound at all, inside or out. Glancing around she saw Phillip watching her from the barn, his eyes seemed to glow red for a moment then he vanished into the shadows.

A shiver ran down her spine and she banged on the door again with more urgency this time. After several attempts with no luck, Sarah sat by the door with a heavy sigh. Glancing in the direction of the barn she thought of the twins. She blamed herself. If she hadn't sent them up on the roof maybe they would be alive. If she hadn't wished Tobias away all those years ago, maybe none of this would have happened.

The night grew colder and darker as Sarah sat by the door. Despite her determination to stay awake, she soon fell into a deep slumber. She slept till morning when the sound of her father coming outside woke her.

Blinking her eyes, Sarah started to stand when she saw her father walking towards the barn. "Father..."

Hearing her voice, Robert turned to face his daughter, surprised that she was no longer in the barn. "Sarah, what are you..." The rest of his sentence went unspoken as two large horns tore through his stomach.

Sarah covered her mouth, too shocked to scream and too scared to move an inch.

Robert looked down at the horns protruding from his stomach. The horns quickly disappeared as the black goat pulled back and shook his head. Robert clutched his gut with both hands and stumbled forward. Sarah started to run to her father, but the goat charged him again, knocking him to the ground. As the goat trampled her father, Sarah raced to the barn to grab the pitchfork.

When she came back, Balck Phillip was gone, and Robert was face down in the dirt, muddy hoof prints covering his back. Rushing to his side, Sarah dropped the pitchfork. "Father!" She rolled him over and placed his head on her lap. "No! No!" She cried as she cradled his head.

"Get away from him witch!" Irene screamed as she ran out of the house. She grabbed Sarah by the hair and tackled her to the ground, Robert's body lying limp beside them. "You killed him!"

"No!" Sarah protested as she tried to fight off her stepmother. "It was Black Phillip! He did everything." She tried to explain but Irene wasn't listening. She had her hands around Sarah's throat and was trying to strangle her. Sarah fought back, but she wasn't a match for Irene. The woman may have been skinny and frail looking she was stronger than she looked. Sarah felt her tightening her grip and began to feel light-headed as she struggled to breathe. With all the strength she had, Sarah rolled forcing Irene on her back. She had hoped to catch Irene off guard and break free. She completely forgot about the discarded pitchfork.

Irene's grip on Sarah loosened and her eyes went wide. Sarah pulled away and stood. That's when she realized what had happened. The blood bled through Irene's dress and she choked and wheezed before her head fell to the side and her chest stopped rising and falling. She was dead.

Sarah looked around. Her father lay near Irene, also dead. Around the side of the barn, the twins lay in the grass, also dead. Blinking, she looked around. There was no sign of Black Phillip or anything else. Sarah went back inside and found Tobias still laying on his bed. "He's probably dead too." She thought as she returned to the kitchen. "They're all dead."

Sarah sat at the table with her head down. She knew she should close the door, find her Father's gun, and prepare herself for when Black Phillip came for her. No not Black Phillip. It was him. Phillip was just a rouse, a disguise he used to get close to her. He was responsible for everything. He took everything from her. What more did he want?

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

Hours later, Sarah woke. Her neck was sore and it was not completely dark outside except for the light of the moon. She stood, stretched and removed her blood-covered dress. She knew what she had to do. Walking outside, she looked for the black goat but found no sign of him. Nor did she see any of the other animals. All she saw were the corpses of her family.

Entering the barn, Sarah lit the lantern and took a deep breath. "Black Phillip I conjure thee to speak to me." She waited but nothing happened. "Speak as thou does to Grace and Micheal. I know thou understands my English tongue. Speak to me!"

She stood there in silence for a long while. Just as she turned to leave, a voice whispered. "What does thou want?"

"What can thou give?" Sarah knew his tricks. He would tempt her, try to get her to give up something of value. But what more could she give? He had already taken her family.

"Would thou like the taste of butter?" The voice whispered. Sarah felt a presence behind her and could have sworn a hand caressed her shoulder. "A pretty dress?" The invisible hand ran down her arm and around her waist. "Would thou like to live deliciously?"

Sarah could feel his breath on her neck, the brief brush of lips against her ear. "What does thou want in return?"

He ignored her and asked, "Would thou like to see the world?"

"What will you from me?" Sarah demanded.

"Does though see the book before you?" He whispered. Sarah looked and suddenly a black book was in front of her. "Remove thy shift." He instructed.

"Why? I can not write my name. Why dost thou do all this?" Sarah turned to face him, but all she saw was a black shadow. " Show yourself, Black Phillip... Or should I say Jareth?"

A shadowy hand took her and pulled her to the book. "I will guide thy hand."

"Remove thy hand from what's mine."

The shadow let go and she turned to see Jareth standing to her right. He looked as regal and intimidating as he did all those years ago. "Jareth?" Sarah asked confused.

"Hello, Sarah. You've grown." He gave her a feral grin and moved to stand between her and the shadow. "I see you hadn't changed at all brother. Still trying to take what is mine."

The Shadow changed into a man almost as tall as Jareth with similar features. "You mean what should be mine." he snarled. "I'm the eldest and as such, I should be King!"

"But you're not." Jareth glared. "You try my patience with these games. I will not give you my Sarah."

The other Fae chuckled. "You grow soft brother. Caring for humans now. Nice trick by the way with the peach in the boy. You saved him from my curse."

"Tobias lives?" Sarah asked with a hopeful heart.

Jareth nodded. "I protect what is mine. Nothing more, nothing less." Jareth replied. "They both belong to me and I won't let you have them." Jareth turned and placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder, gripping it tight enough to cause her slight pain. "Now leave."

The shadow vanished and Jareth let go of Sarah. As he started to walk away, Sarah called out to him. "Wait!"

Turning back he smirked. "Did you want something, precious thing?"

"Why?"

"Why what?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Why did thou save Tobias? Why did thou stop me from signing his book?" Sarah asked as she took a step towards him.

"Make no mistake child, you and your brother are mine. You have been since the moment you wished him to me." Jareth placed his finger under her chin and made her look into his mismatched eyes. "I won't let another have you."

Again he turned to leave, but this time Sarah grabbed his arm. "Wait, does thou intend to leave us here alone? What of my parents? Grace and Michael?"

"What of them?"

"Can ye not bring them back?"

"Even if I could why should I?" he questioned. "They serve no purpose to me." He pulled his arm free and headed once more for the door.

"We'll die out here alone."

He tilted his head as he turned to look at her. "What would thou have me do?" Before she could reply he summoned a crystal and juggled it from one hand to another in front of her. "Would thou like a pretty dress?" He held the crystal out to her and inside she saw her self dressed all those years ago in the ballroom. "Would thou like to dance and be merry? To live deliciously as a Princess? Or even as a Queen?"

Sarah started to take the crystal but pulled her hand back and the last second. "What of Tobias?

"He was a lively little chap and as he also belongs to me I shall take him to the castle as well if that is what thou wishes." He held the crystal out once more. "Does thou want it?"

Sarah reached for it once more and gasped as he tossed it up into the air. She scrambled to catch it, not daring to let it hit the ground. Once her fingers wrapped around the crystal, she vanished.

~*~*~*~/.../~*~*~*~

Months later someone from the village came searching for Robert and his family. They searched for days before they found his farm. They were horrified to find he decayed corpses of two adults, whom they assumed to be Robert and Irene, and two small children that appeared to be Grace and Michael. There was no trace of Sarah or Tobias and they searched for a week, but never found them. They could only pray the two children met a better fate than the rest of the family.


End file.
